Mic Sensei
by Xandoria DuUrden
Summary: 10 times Present Mic helped someone, and 3 times someone helped Mic.
1. Kaminari

Kaminari groaned, closing the door to the spare room he went into to focus. Finals were in 2 weeks, and he has so much to relearn again, and now Mina was working with Momo. He was on his own this time. He swore quietly, flicking on the light and burying his nose into the textbook. He started shifting shocks between his fingers, then between his hands. Maybe he could make some kind of electric ball- the door opened, and he jumped, electricity disappearing and him looking up at Mic, who seemed just as surprised as Kaminari was. "Um, hey there, listener."

"Uh, hi…" Mic walked deeper into the room, tapping something.

"Your turn, man." To Kaminari's horror, it was Aizawa, who sat up and walked out, barely sparing him a glance.

"Uh, am…am I not supposed to be here?"

"No, you're alright, listener. This is my office!" Kaminari balked. Mic had an office? Aizawa was sleeping in Mic's office? He was in Mic's office?! HE'D BEEN STUDYING IN MIC'S OFFICE?! Mic didn't seem to noticed Kaminari's internal panic, sitting down in a swivel chair and spinning around a few times, grinning.

"Uh, are you sure it's okay for me to be here? You look…busy?"

"Yeah, it's good!" He got 2 thumbs up from the excitable teacher, who stopped spinning and picked up a stack of papers and a bright red pen. "So, what happened to bring you here?"

"Uh, studying. Mina got Momo to help, but I was a little late on the offering, so I'm on my own."

"Hmm. Well, you can look through your English quizzes! I have them over here somewhere…there." He pushed the chair to the opposite wall, fishing through a filing cabinet. Kaminari still couldn't believe this was Mic's office. It was so tidy, and nearly barren except for a few boxes of something he hadn't looked in. Kaminari took the stack and started looking through. He looked at his fingers. Ooh, maybe he could use that one theory they covered in science to better use his quirk. What was it called? Flannel? "You okay there, listener?" He jumped, looking up at a concerned looking Mic with a gentle smile.

"Yeah, I just get distracted easily. Hey, I know science isn't your class, but do you remember this one theory about electricity through fingers? I keep thinking it's flannel or something like that, but-"

"Oh, Flemming's left hand or right hand?" Kaminari paused: he hadn't expected Mic to actually know what he was talking about. "Yeah, there was this one guy I fought who used that so he didn't hit himself with the electricity his magnetic field quirk produced. That information saved my life." Kaminari's eyes widened as Mic continued marking through the papers with red ink.

"Wait, you mean all this junk you're teaching us can be useful?"

"Yeah! Personally, I think math and English are a bit more important, but I can't deny that science has saved my life multiple times. So, since you don't have a study partner, and these papers are going to bore me to death, would you like me to help you study?" Kaminari hesitated.

"But you're awfully busy." He really didn't want to interrupt Mic while he was doing something important.

"Today's a slow day. That's why I came in here. Well, that and to wake Aizawa up." Kaminari looked up firmly.

"I really could use some help." Mic grinned widely, standing up.

"Then let's go: bring your textbook!" Kaminari stood in obedience, frowning as he followed the excitable man outside. The neon blond looked at him with a beaming smile. "You're going about studying the wrong way: that's why you're having issues retaining the information. Studying works differently for certain people. You keep trying to studying in a quiet, secluded area while sitting down. Go someplace that there's activity! For instance, the gym." Kaminari listened carefully. "I noticed you move around a lot in my class. That means you likely learn best while moving. So we're going to be jogging while I ask you questions. That sound like a good idea?"

"At this point, I'm desperate, Mic-sensei."

"That's the spirit! What is the speed of sound?" Kaminari tried his best to answer the questions, with Mic gently correcting him as needed. He had to admit this was a lot more fun than trying to cram all those words in his head. "And that's all the questions for Science!"

"Wait, already?" Kaminari asked in surprise.

"Yeah! And guess what? You only missed 15 out of 50."

"REALLY?!" Kaminari exclaimed in excitement: that was 8 whole questions better than last time! Mic joined in, giving him a pat on the back. "Do you think you could do this with me again?"

"Sure! I jog every day after the last class period. Sometimes Midnight joins, as long as you don't mind her company!" Kaminari grinned widely. Every day for the next 4 days, he joined Mic for his jog, and Mic asked him questions while they ran. The next week, they did the same, covering a different subject every day and then recovering them in a different order. Mic gave Kaminari a thumbs up as he headed into the exam, and Kaminari gave a nervous smile. He panicked, swore silently, broke his pencil multiple times, and had more than a few tears before he was finally done with the torture, and then he waited for the results. Mina asked,

"You seem less stressed than usual. Did you find another study partner?"

"Not exactly: he showed me a different way to study so I could retain the information."

"Retain? I guess his lessons helped!" Mina laughed. Kaminari joined in. Then they got their results, and Kaminari beamed, showing his number to Mina. She gaped. "13th in the class?! You overtook Tokoyami! I got 19th again…You've gotta show me how you studied! That's a massive improvement!" He grinned.

"Sure! I've just got to let the guy know first: I want to show him that he really helped!" He found Mic in his office, looking deep in thought over a paper.

"It's an adjective, but it's being used as an adverb, and it does have the proper changes…Oh, Kaminari-kun! How are you?!" Kaminari revealed his papers with a wide smile, only to be outshined when Mic wrapped him into a massive hug. "YOU DID IT!"

"Thank you very much, Mic-sensei! I can help Mina, too!" Mic grinned widely as Kaminari laughed, racing out.


	2. Fuyumi

Fuyumi stormed out of the house, scowling in rage. How dare Natsu! It wasn't like she didn't know exactly what Endeavor had done, and she was NOT. How dare he even SUGGEST-Her fuming thoughts paused when she saw a man sitting on top of a vintage car, casually scrolling through his phone. What drew her eye was his neon blond hair that was thrown into a messy bun as hair was strewn all over. It was long, one of the longest lengths of hair she'd ever seen, and she wondered what it would look like if it was down. He had square green glasses over his deep red eyes, and was oddly fashionable. He glanced up and locked eyes with her. Oh, no, had she been staring?! He grinned, waving while giving a hearty,

"Hey!" Fuyumi blinked in surprise. The voice did not match the figure: he was a twig. His voice would better fit a full forest. It was loud, carrying, and just BIG. She walked over and said cautiously,

"Can I help you?" His voice dropped to a normal volume, if a bit quieter than most would be, though his smile was still present as he put his phone away.

"Oh, Aizawa had patrol today, so I'm the watcher."

"Not even Shoto's teacher trusts that Dad is changing." She growled, rubbing the bridge of her nose.

"No, he does." The stranger smiled. "If he didn't, there's no way he would drive Todoroki-kun here. You look frustrated. Want to talk about it?" She pulled away, suspicious.

"I don't know anything about you."

"Yeah, you do! You know Aizawa trusts me with his students." Fuyumi went to protest, but he was right. Aizawa didn't trust anyone for anything, so the fact he trusted this man with a student spoke volumes.

"…I feel like…I'm the only one trying to reconnect the family. Shoto doesn't react to anything, and Natsu barely stays more than 10 minutes! And then-then Natsu has the nerve to say I'm forgetting what he did! How could I forget what he did to my siblings?! My brothers…but he's trying to be different. Why can't they see that?" She felt a pat on her back, and saw a gentle smile. She continued. "And Natsu is just being a pain in general! I have to beg him for him to even try family dinners. I don't know what to do, because every time I try to explain why I want this, he scoffs and tells me off without telling me off, and it's so frustrating!" The man gave a hum of agreement.

"Telling someone off without telling them off is a dangerous gift."

"Right?! And Natsu has it down to an art! And Dad's trying so hard to do better and reconnect with us all, but Natsu just isn't trusting that his intentions are real, and Shoto doesn't express anything at all: even his voice is deadpan. I know that it's how he dealt with what Dad did in the past, but I wish he would show some kind of expression so I know what he's thinking. My quirk isn't mind reading! But I don't want to snap at them, so I keep smiling, which is just adding to the issue, and I…I'm stuck." Another back pat, and she collapsed onto the man. He tensed for the briefest second, then fully embraced her, softly rubbing her back in circles as she tried to stop her tears.

"Hey, it's okay. You're doing good. Natsu is still coming to dinners, and I can tell you Shoto is at least trying to express more at school. You're trying so hard, and you're doing well." She pulled away, rubbing her eyes dry. He was still smiling softly.

"S-sorry, I should have ask first."

"I like hugs! Now, what I can tell you is keeping all those feelings bottled up is not going to help. You're going to burst eventually, and that will not be pleasant for anyone. Get Natsu to sit down and have a conversation. Tell him what you told me." He tapped her skull. "You have the words in your head, you're just scared of how he'll respond. He'll understand once you explain."

"But how can I explain this?"

"Natsu will understand. Don't let him walk away while you're talking. Be angry. He needs to see how much you're hurting. And I know you didn't tell me everything: tell him. And after talking to him, go to Shoto. Or do Shoto first! Just talk to them." She sniffled, rubbing her eyes dry again. He hugged her. "This isn't going to be easy. But you're hurting them and yourself by keeping this bottled up."

"Y-you're really good at this." He laughed, and Fuyumi smiled. "I told you all this but I don't even know your name. Do you have siblings, or-?"

"No, I don't have siblings, just a really good friend. My name is-" Shoto came out, looking between Fuyumi and the man with a blank face but he seemed surprised.

"Sensei, why are you talking to Fuyumi?"

"We were just having a talk! I think your family dinner just ended, Fuyumi!" She laughed.

"I should have figured that it wouldn't last very long after I left. Thanks again for the advice, sir." Fuyumi started to walk away when she heard Shoto asked,

"What advice did you give her, Mic-sensei?" She stopped in her tracks, looking back at the man with quiet horror. Oh, no. That was a radio DJ. He would probably blab all of her family issues live! She just ruined everything! Mic smiled cheerfully, full volume that didn't match his body back.

"Oh, nothing really! We should get back to campus: Aizawa will be worried." Shoto didn't argue, and Fuyumi watched them drive away, feeling of dread still there. She listened to Put Your Hands Up Radio in fear, knowing that he would bring up their family at any point. Yet weeks passed, and the only thing he mentioned was, "No matter what your family looks like, be them friends or blood, they're there for you, listeners." After a month, she decided he wasn't going to share, and she felt intense relief. She called Natsu.

"Fuyumi, what's up?"

"Natsu, could we meet at the café in a few minutes? There's a lot I need to say to you."

"Sure, I'll be there in a bit." Fuyumi looked out her window towards UA, silently thanking the stranger who helped.


	3. Shinsou

Shinsou yawned, edging his way to the next class. He hadn't slept in a few days, but it was fine: he had more work and a lot studying to do. He almost ran into Aizawa, who raised an eyebrow. "School ended 20 minutes ago. Why are you still in the building instead of the dorms?" It ended? Huh. Maybe he was more tired than he thought.

"Lost track of time, Sensei." Aizawa stepped to the side, but Shinsou could feel his eyes watching him race towards the dorm. Shinsou entered his room and closed the door, yawning loudly. Maybe he could take a nap, then study? No, he had work to do. A few dazed hours later of struggling, muffled swears through his chewing eraser and grumblings, he heard a knock on the door.

"Hey, listener!" Oh. Great, it was Mic. Why? Why couldn't he not have to deal with a loud mouth for ONE day? He opened the door and found Mic holding a bowl of rice and chicken and more in a container under his other arm. "Aizawa was worried when you didn't come down for dinner, and I know you don't have food stored in your room, so I made you some! Have you slept at all in the last month?" Shinsou shrugged, going to grab the bowl. Mic held it away. "You need to sleep, Shinsou-kun." He released the bowl into Shinsou's grip, and Shinsou slammed the door closed, grumbling quietly. He could hear Mic giving bowls of chicken and rice to everyone who hadn't come for dinner. The loudmouth was nice, but Shinsou wanted peace and quiet for now. He slowly ate it as his eyes glazed over the material again. Wow, this was good: did Lunch Rush make it? Or was he so exhausted store-bought tasted good? Actually, when was the last time he ate? He shook his head clear, glaring at the material in an attempt to focus. It was unsuccessful. He swore quietly again, gnawing on his chewing eraser. The door was knocked on again, and he threw it open, annoyed at this point.

"Mic-sensei, I am fine!" He then saw it was Kaminari and Ojiro, both looking surprised at his outburst. He turned a slight red, rubbing his neck. Check who it is before answering, he scolded himself. "Oh, sorry…can I help you?"

"Well, Mic was a little worried about you, so we decided to check on you." Ojiro nodded in silence: he still hadn't spoken to Shinsou since the Sports Festival. Not that Shinsou could blame him: he'd done something that wasn't very nice. He would ask in the future, if he could ever get the tail-man to talk to him again.

"I'm fine. Just a lot of studying to do and tired." It had slipped out before he could stop it, and he saw Kaminari's face looked really concerned. Even Ojiro seemed worried. Curse his tired, active mouth!

"Studying's really hard if you're tired, dude. Take a break and get some rest: it's not healthy."

"I'm fine. Have a nice-" Kaminari interrupted with a cheerful,

"Hey, why don't you watch a movie with me, Jiro, and Ojiro? Mic's supervising, but we did it so we could relax before finals." It was clear saying 'no' was not an option. Shinsou sighed, but grabbed his textbook and joined them on a couch, glaring at Mic who gave him a mischievous smile. At least have the decency to look ashamed, man! Jiro grabbed his textbook, snapping it closed. Shinsou glared at her in frustration.

"This is a study-free zone tonight, Shinsou. Take a break." He slumped, leaning on his elbow as the movie started. He woke up on the couch cuddling with Ojiro, who was also unconscious. His eyes went wide, and he saw Mic cleaning up the popcorn and bowls of food scattered around.

"What…" Mic answered quietly, barely over a whisper,

"Less than 2 minutes into the film, you were down. You just slept for 4 hours. Thank you, Gone with the Wind."

"You planned this." It wasn't an accusation: they both knew that for a fact.

"Yeah. You need to sleep, Shinsou, and if getting you to watch a movie with your classmates is the only way I can, I'll do it." Shinsou looked at the clock and saw it was 1 am.

"How are you awake?" The madman was always awake by 5 so he could get to the radio station.

"Gone with the Wind is one of my favorite movies, and I was chaperoning." He slung Ojiro and Jiro over his shoulder, grunting from the effort. "Go to bed: it's too late to be studying, and you need your mental awareness for training tomorrow." Mic disappeared deeper into the dorms with the students over his shoulder, and Shinsou walked to his own room, collapsing on his bed, not having the energy to ask where his textbook was. He woke up at about 6 in the morning, and found his textbook on his desk. He found Kaminari and Jiro studying with Ashido, and thanked them, rubbing his neck as they stared at his unkept mess of purple hair.

"Thanks for inviting me last night. Sorry I fell asleep." Kaminari laughed, as did Jiro.

"We weren't much better: I was out at the 30-minute mark, and Jiro was out at the hour. Ojiro was the same way." So Mic had pinpointed the most sleep deprived people in the dorms and got them to watch a long movie together? How did he do that kind of stuff? "You can always join Ojiro for studying: he doesn't talk during it, and his room is always the quietest." Shinsou smiled: he'd ask first, considering the Sports Festival.

"Thanks for the advice." He went back to his room, collecting his textbooks, and joined Ojiro in his room after he had given a nod of permission. Mic really was a meddler, but at least he cared enough to take a back seat once it was managed. And somehow, that hyperactive, nosy teacher was also the sweetest.


	4. Toshinori

Ever since One for All had left his system, he'd noticed how much he depended on it. even for simple things, like reaching a little too tall shelf, or getting to work on time. And that's how he got in this situation: he was running late because he'd over slept and he knew that one of the teachers was going to lecture him. He just hoped it wasn't Nezu: last time it was 2 hours before Midnight took pity on him. Then he ran into a man with neon blond hair, and he was so surprised to find someone else running he lost his balance. "Oh, man! You okay-Toshi?" He looked up to find none other than Mic, out of his hero costume for the first time Toshi had ever seen. Mic pulled him up with surprising ease-wait, he was small again: he barely weighed anything. "Shouldn't you be at UA already?" Toshi rubbed his head, taking in the man's fashionable clothing.

"I'm running a little late. Why are you dressed like that? I've never seen you in civilian."

"It's my casual day! Come on, I'll walk with you." Toshi was glad for the talkative man: the streets were almost empty due to the early hour, and he was always uneasy at the silence. "Is it your casual day, too? Or do you just like baggy clothes?" Toshi chuckled, rubbing his forehead.

"I don't really have any clothes that fit me like this."

"Well, we'll have to change that!" Toshi nearly jumped when a quiet meow sounded. Mic pulled out his phone, saying happily, "Hey, Sho! Yeah, things went a little longer at the studio, but I'm on my way-again? Why can't she just not?" mic sighed heavily. "I'll deal with it when we get there. Oh, yeah, Toshi's here with me, too!" Toshi rapidly shook his head: he didn't want Aizawa to find out. "Yeah, you can talk to him!" Toshi took the phone reluctantly.

"Hello, Aizawa."

"If Mic starts talking too much, tell him. And get to work. You can give the phone back."

"Um, okay? Here you go…" The conversation didn't last much longer, and Mic put the phone away with a quiet hum. "What happened again?"

"Oh, Hatsume-kun fell asleep in the lab again, and Power Loader needs her to move so he can get to work."

"Why doesn't he just wake her up?"

"She's a really deep sleeper, so I'm pretty much the only one besides Bakugo-kun who could!" They got to school, and Aizawa was the one to tell Toshi off before letting him get to class. Oddly, Mic didn't get argued with. School went well, but as Toshi was about to head home, he found himself trapped between Midnight and Mic.

"Hizashi says you don't have properly fitting clothes, Toshi?"

"W-well, not when I'm like this, but it's not that-"

"We're going shopping. Aizawa, do you-"

"No." The grumpy adult said blandly, looking up from a stack of papers.

"Okay! Have fun!" Mic called happily as the 3 set off, Toshi silently begging someone to free him from his prison. They entered a car, with Mic getting in the front, and Midnight asking questions about his style. "I don't really have a style, Midnight." She waved him off.

"What about the fit? Loose, skin tight, leather, capris?"

"Um…loose, I suppose. I've only had skin-tight as a hero costume…"

"So we're starting from scratch! I like it." Mic was oddly quiet as he drove. "What are you thinking, Hizashi? Leather to start off, or maybe some t-shirts?" He pulled into a parking spot and said thoughtfully,

"He's usually wearing suits when not in costume, so we should look at suits. He's a pretty suave guy, after all." Toshi sputtered, not expecting that kind of compliment, while Midnight just called her agreement and began escorting Toshi around, Mic following casually. They got stopped a few times by All Might fans, and a few Midnight fans, but no one seemed to connect Mic as a hero, despite his popularity. Toshi said after getting 6 different suits piled into his hands by the 2,

"I'm really not s…suave." Mic paused, and Midnight looked at him in amusement.

"Now you're in for it."

"In for-?!" He found himself staring deep into bright red eyes with flickers of green flashing, hands on his shoulders and a purposeful look penetrating his soul. Did he somehow upset Mic?

"You are a beautiful individual with a big heart, Toshi! Don't you dare undersell your perfect self!" Toshi jumped, partially at the loud volume and partially at the yelled optimism. "You deserve to be confident! Look at all you've accomplished: you beat one of the toughest guys we've ever seen, single handedly! You are dealing with Midoriya-kun daily! You are teaching the next generation of pro-heroes, and you're doing it well!"

"I-I-" Oh, dear, he hadn't expected Mic to give a passionate encouragement speech that sounded impromptu!

"You are a wonderful person who cares deeply about others, to the point of always considering others above yourself! You protected people for over 30 years as a hero!" Toshi was a blushing mess. Goodness, Mic was enthusiastic about support… "And I will continue to remind you until you accept it!"

"I-I…t-thank you…" Mic grinned widely, and they continued shopping. Mic continued to give loud positive speeches whenever Toshi said something mildly negative, Midnight cheering him on in the back while looking at other options. The trip ended with him having a brand-new wardrobe and a bright smile from the loud sunshine accompanying him. Midnight was dropped off first, then Mic and Toshi were alone in the car. "You certainly are enthusiastic about encouraging people…"

"Everyone needs positivity in their life! I just do what I can to help them out." His smile softened. "I thought you could use some after what happened, and the fact heroism was your life for so long means that you lost a lot more than a quirk. I can't pretend to know exactly what that feels like, but know everyone at UA is going to support you in anyway we can. That includes aggressive optimistic speeches and shopping trips to get proper clothing!" Toshi smiled gently, shaking Mic's hand.

"Thank you. I appreciate all of this." Mic just gave a massive grin and drove away.


	5. Aizawa

Aizawa was tired. No, this was more than tired. He was exhausted. He wanted to curl up into his sleeping bag and let the day pass. But it was a Thursday, and he had class. And then patrol. Would the day ever end? It was bad enough that everyone was louder than normal, some kind of festival or something in the city they were talking about. Midnight said as she poured some coffee, "Are you going to attend? Mic's DJing."

"No." She frowned at his blunt tone, as did All Might.

"Are you alright, Aizawa?" Curse his bad mood and their concern.

"Yeah, Shota. You're usually grumpy, but that tone was-" His anger flickered, and he said sharply,

"I'm fine. You both have a class." He stalked away. He'd apologize later, after he slept. Oh, man: he had babysitting duty tonight as well. He swore quietly, then entered his class. They were rowdy as usual, and he snapped at them more than he meant to, but he was too tired to deal with Bakugo's yelling and Kaminari's off-topic comments. At lunch, he headed to the library, planning on hiding above the bookshelves, so he could get an uninterrupted nap. He jumped as arms wrapped around his chest and pinned him to the spot. He was not in the mood to deal with Mic: he was tired and irritated. "Mic, I swear if you scream in my ear-"

"Just giving you a hug, Sho. Bad week?"

"…I'm just tired."

"Okay. You can sleep in my office: Bakusquad is in the library." Shota let Mic lead him to his nearly empty office, and he curled into his sleeping bag as Mic handed him a pillow. "I'll wake you up after lunch."

"Thanks, Zashi." He fell asleep pretty quickly, exhaustion claiming him. It was too short, but he was gently shaken away. "Already?" Mic smiled.

"Yeah, Sho. Don't strangle anyone!"

"Don't talk anyone's ear off." Mic laughed. The day did not improve. By the time the bell rang, Aizawa's eye was twitching, he felt like he could murder something and not regret it for the moment, and everyone had picked up on his bad mood. He was grabbed around the chest again, arms pinned to his side. "D*** it, Mic, I have patrol-"

"Ectoplasm took your shift. I took the shift for the dorms with you, and I can grade the 3 papers left. Get some sleep: if you don't, tomorrow, someone's going to die, and I'm not helping you to hide a body. That's the friendship line I draw." Aizawa laughed softly, more a scoff than anything else. Mic let him go, and they headed to the dorms. Aizawa laid down in his sleeping bag, and he heard Mic sit down at his own desk, shuffling the papers around quietly. Whenever there was a slight noise, Mic went to investigate, so the door was open and closed a lot, but he knew he was safe with Mic, as were the kids, so quickly fell asleep. He woke slightly when the bed shifted. "It's just me, Sho. You were shivering, so I put some more blankets on you."

"Thanks, Zashi…" He muttered before falling asleep again. He woke to more shuffling. "Mic?"

"Yeah, it's me. Forgot something in here-"

"Desk…"

"Right, thanks! You feeling better?" Aizawa nodded, sitting up with a stretch. "Good! You're practicing self-care this morning!"

"Wait, no-" He was pinned by Mic against the wall as the man glared at him. "Mic, stop-"

"You need a shower, then I'm brushing your hair, and there's no point arguing, because all of your clothes except what you're in-which is the same thing you've been wearing for 4 days now-are in the washer. Am I clear?"

"You really think I care if I wear this for a fifth day?"

"No, but I do think you care about the hair gel I put in your hair." Aizawa reached up and felt the patch of matted hair mixed with a sticky substance. Mic gave him a smile as Aizawa scowled.

"D*** it, Mic…"

"So?" Aizawa pushed the thin man away, grabbing a towel and storming to the shower. "Good choice!" He grumbled, but it was nice to take a shower, even if he was being forced to in order to get the gunk out of his hair, and it was kind of Mic to wash all his clothes, too. But still, he could have asked or mentioned his plan beforehand. No, he would have hidden a pair of clothes and refused to sleep if he'd mentioned that, Aizawa reasoned as he dried off. He came out with Mic putting his ridiculous hairstyle in order.

"Why do you insist on doing that?"

"It's the look, Sho! Respect the drip." Aizawa paused, looking at Mic in horror.

"Tell me you didn't just say that."

"Oh, I did. You think Kaminari-kun is the only one who's introducing the kids to American slang? That's the best way to clapback." Aizawa groaned, holding back a snicker as Mic tackled his own hair with a brush. "Now, are we going to yeet the day, or is the day going to yeet us?"

"D*** it, Mic, stop!" Aizawa snorted.

"Hey, I got to flex somehow, and I'm not swol like you are." Aizawa gave out a full-belly laugh, making Mic join in.

"You're such a shill."

"Hey! I'll have you know I am not a sellout, you sleezecore!" Aizawa snorted, losing himself to laughter again as Mic exclaimed, "BOOMSHAKALAKA!"

"You are ridiculous!"

"Yeah, but I still made you laugh, which I consider a win." Aizawa sighed as Mic finished brushing his hair, turning to give his oldest friend a deep hug. "Told you that you can't hide things from me. I know you too well."

"Thanks, Zashi. I really do appreciate it."

"Now let's go seize the day!" Aizawa much more slowly followed the energetic man, masking his smile. He couldn't express how glad he was for meeting that doofus. But now he had a class to teach, and a few teachers to apologize to for his shortness.


	6. Monoma

He smirked at the DJ. Obviously, he could convince the man to train with him: he was very persuasive, after all. And the neon blond DJ was smiling. He really wanted someone to rant at, and people always told him that Mic was one of the best listeners on campus. He wondered how much Mic could take before snapping at him like Aizawa or Vlad King did? "Are you ready?!" Monoma grinned widely: he could break this man: everyone got angry eventually, and that led to mistakes in movement and outbursts of uncontrolled emotion that could be used as leverage.

"Of course, sir." It was mostly melee combat practice he was focusing on for now: his quirk allowed for many opportunities for take downs. He was more surprised by the fact the DJ could keep up: he rarely entered actual combat, but somehow, he was easily sliding Monoma's attacks away, deflecting them with ease.

"You need to keep your elbows loose: that's a key point!" Monoma growled, but obeyed. He didn't need tips from someone who rarely saw combat! Maybe he had made a wrong choice in the talkative man, but he could survive a 1 hour training session. Monoma started talking as they trained. To his surprise, Mic didn't seem that annoyed by his ranting over 1-A. In fact, he seemed completely attentive, only interrupting from specific advice. "Your body mass doesn't support punching: try more for a deflecting kind of approach! Like this." Or occasionally, agreement to something he said. "Yeah, Mineta really should learn to keep his hands to his side." Monoma wasn't sure what he had been expecting, but a capable fighter and someone who actually listened was not it. It was grating on his nerves: he wanted to annoy this man, for goodness' sake! No one had seen Mic actually lose his temper, though Midnight occasionally said he had a bad day. But there was no example of his anger: Monoma didn't like unknowns. He grabbed Mic's hand, absorbing his quirk. Maybe this would get his blood flowing! Monoma took a deep breath, and Mic's eyes widened, but he didn't seem angry yet. That would change shortly! "Monoma, don't-" Monoma shouted, and he could have sworn his throat exploded. Pain enveloped his head, throat and ears, and he screamed, only for the pain to increase. His eyes opened to find himself in the nurse's office. What happened, and why did his throat feel like it had been ripped to shreds? He could hear Mic talking to Recovery Girl. "Are you sure he's going to be okay?" Was he speaking quietly? That was new.

"Yes, Yamada. We've been over this several times. He burst his eardrums, tore his throat muscles, and gave himself a concussion, that's all. He'll be fine. Why were you practicing with him? He just likes upsetting people."

"That's exactly why I agreed! I don't get annoyed by talking, so I thought it would be better to train with me than someone who would get angry." Monoma frowned.

"He likely was trying to see you get angry."

"He's not the first. I didn't think he would use my quirk: he said it would be melee only. Did anyone else get hurt?"

"No, the gym is soundproof, so it cancelled most of the volume. It did give Aizawa and Midnight a start."

"I should've thought it through." Recovery Girl peeked into Monoma's room, locking eyes with the student.

"Well, he's awake, so you can talk with him. His eardrums are sensitive." Mic came in, looking at Recovery Girl with a small smile that seemed very different than his usual grin.

"I know, I remember." He sat down on Monoma's bed, looking him over as Monoma sat up. He still wasn't angry, just worried. "Monoma-kun, you okay?" He nodded, going to speak. Mic covered his mouth. "Your throat is still healing. You shouldn't speak for one or two days." Mic's eyes flashed, and Monoma saw that the excitable teacher who was spoken highly of by everyone was disappointed. Still not angry. "You told me it was melee only, but we can discuss that later. You're lucky you tore through your throat. You could have torn through your vocal cords, leaving you mute. You could have killed someone." Monoma winced, Mic looking dead serious. "Your quirk is excellent for tactical missions, but there are certain quirks that are dangerous to absorb. These have taken the natural user years to learn to use properly. Such as mine. In my first year at UA, I took extra classes to learn how to control my quirk without deafening someone, without killing them. Your quirk is powerful, with multiple uses, and an excellent range of options for your future. But you also have to keep in mind the other person's quirk. Would it damage your body? Would it hurt a teammate? Is it useful for that situation? Think your quirk through before using it: you have the mental awareness to do that." Monoma nodded. "Now, about your…battle strategy. I know you were trying to anger me so I messed up my steps." Monoma looked up in surprise. "It's a pretty common strategy, for beginners." Mic chuckled. "It has a tendency of blowing up in your face with opponents like Bakugo, whose mind gets clearer the angrier he gets, or Kendo, who forces herself to remain calm even when she's absolutely furious, or Aizawa, who shuts down his emotions once he gets angry and becomes purely logical. In certain cases, it works well, but you have to know your opponent and not let your own emotions cloud your judgement, neither of which you have enough experience to do. So find another strategy: you've got the skills to do it, so use your head, Monoma-kun." In a few days, his speech was back, and he sparred a few more times with Mic before moving on to Vlad King and Kendo. Something about Mic's calm/excited nature frustrated him to no end. Everyone got angry eventually, yet Mic seemed intent on not letting anyone see it. As much as Mic annoyed him, Monoma had to admit his advice about finding a different strategy was good. What strategy should he use…


	7. Koda

Koda panted, covering his face as Jiro paused, panting herself. Why couldn't he be loud?! Even the training camp hadn't helped to improve his silence, and he was so tired of being the last one chosen, though Jiro often teamed with him so he wasn't left out. And that's how he ended up here: in the middle of the gym, with Jiro urging him on by attacks and encouragement that he could do it. He was trying to get better at melee combat and confidence, which was a long road. But he couldn't get louder. The pressure to do better was too much: he felt tears start forming. Jiro rubbed his shoulder, saying gently, "Hey, I'll get you some water and you take a breather, okay? You'll figure it out." He nodded, and she walked away. He sat down on the ground, rubbing his eyes dry. He heard the door open, and looked that way sharply, turning red. It was a stranger with neon blond-wait, it was Present Mic, out of his hero costume for the first time Koda had seen outside of that training exercise where he was acting as a civilian. Mic blinked at Koda, then smiled, giving him a thumbs up. Koda hesitated, signing in silence,

"I want to ask, but I don't want to be rude-" To his horror, Mic signed right back,

"You can ask anything you want: it's not rude." He stared at the man, signing,

"You know sign language?" Mic nodded, taking a seat in front of him with his green square glasses and hair messily put into a bun. "…Why are you in civilian clothes?"

"It's my day off, but I hate not doing things, so I hang out around here. You seem bothered." Koda looked away.

"I just don't know if I can be a hero." Mic laughed, speaking out loud.

"Yeah, you can! You faced your fear of those horrible little things. if you can do that, you can do anything."

"But I still can't talk in front of people." Mic's smile faded slightly, and he switched back to sign.

"That's not as bad as you think. it means when you say something, it matters."

"But I still can't be loud! People overlook me because I don't talk, and I want to help but I don't want to bother anyone, so I stand there awkwardly, and-" Mic put his hand on Koda's shoulder, speaking out loud again.

"I know. I've seen it. But that's okay. You have social anxiety. You know another hero with that?" Koda shook his head. "All of us. All Might especially because he feels like he failed to protect people. Aizawa because he couldn't keep you all safe during the USJ attack. Cementtoss and Power Loader because of their appearances. Midnight because of people's assumptions, and so on, so forth! Anxiety doesn't mean you can't be a hero. How you respond does. Have you given up?" Koda shook his head no. "Are you still pushing yourself?" He nodded again. "Did you beat a pro hero?" Koda nodded again. "Exactly. You are still a child, and you've done amazing things and improved so much. Focus on what you've done, not what you can't do."

"How can I save people if I can't talk?" Mic smiled softly. "How can I help if I don't know how to hold a reasonable conversation?" Mic laughed.

"Guess what you just did, Koda-kun?" Koda frowned, looking at his teacher in confusion. "You just spoke." Koda's eyes widened. "Talking is only part of the problem. You don't have confidence. Look at everything you've done: you got into UA, one of the most selective schools in Japan! You beat me, with only saying a few sentences! Your words are powerful. Think about what you've communicated thus far: determination, dependability, and drive. That's why Jiro is trying to help you: she wants you to improve because she sees how much potential you have. It's okay if you don't like talking out loud, since when you speak, it's powerful, and filled with meaning."

"…But wouldn't it be better if I was louder, like you?" Mic sighed, looking away.

"Being loud isn't as great as people think it is. People ignore me, because I ramble. I don't usually get quiet, so they get concerned when I do when I'm just trying to gather my thoughts. I sometimes say things that hurt people. On the bright side, people notice me, and they pay attention to me instead of other people who can't handle the strain. Look at Bakugo: people have gotten so used to him yelling, it takes him being quiet for them to notice what he's saying. They aren't threatened by him anymore: they ignore his antics. You notice him because you're the quiet one: you like knowing who people see first." Koda nodded: his teacher had a point, a very good one.

"So you think I could be a hero?"

"Without a doubt! You're focused on improving, and don't care for being in the spotlight: exactly what the world needs right now. And your quirk is nothing to sneeze at. Control over wildlife is pretty awesome, and it's powerful. It won't be easy for you, since you'll have public media to take 2nd and 3rd year, which means you'll have a lot of interviews and such." Koda paled. "Aizawa hated it, too, but you'll do well, I know it. If you ever need someone to talk to, or sign to as the case may be, I'll be here, okay?" Koda nodded, smiling firmly as Mic stood up and walked out, passing Jiro who looked at him in surprise. She asked,

"What was Mic-sensei doing here?" Koda said proudly, taking the offered water,

"He was giving me some advice." Jiro grinned.

"You ready to start up again, tiger?"

"If you are!" Koda looked at the doors with a smile, and turned back to Jiro, turning a slight red. "A-and a-afterwards, d-do you want to go out? As f-friends…t-to a c-cat café?" Jiro smiled warmly.

"Depends on if you can keep talking while we fight." Koda smiled, talking back and forth with Jiro about various things. He silently thanked the loudmouth teacher who somehow knew who he was.


	8. Jiro

Jiro grunted, hitting the punching bag as hard as she could, earjack cutting into the fabric. Still not enough- "Hey, listener!" She jumped, nearly whacking Mic with her earjack. He caught it, looking just as surprised as she was before releasing it. "I didn't mean to startle you, Jiro-kun!"

"S-sorry, Mic-sensei. I was a little focused…"

"Well, you're making great progress on melee! I wanted to talk to you about something. Remember what you did during the exam?" Jiro frowned. Mostly, she remembered a lot of pain, screaming, and Koda talking to bugs.

"You mean what Koda did-" Mic paled.

"No, not those little nightmare fuel terrors!" Jiro snorted at her teacher rapidly waving his hands and looking sick at the mere concept of reliving that. "I mean when you canceled out my scream."

"Oh, yeah. That took a lot out of me, but I did cancel out one of those…How doesn't that tear your throat out?"

"Training and tea!" Somehow, that sounded about right for the excitable neon blond. "Did you know that would work, canceling out my scream?" She frowned, thinking back.

"I didn't, but if I hadn't done something or at least tried to do something, Koda could have gotten hurt, and my eardrums would have exploded." Mic hummed in agreement, tapping his foot.

"I do have a knack for doing that." He sounded slightly upset, but Jiro was more focused on how casually he said something like that. Was it a normal occurrence?! "I'm glad you two passed: you'll be great heroes one day. So, your speaker in your costume are pretty strong, but you need to strengthen your earjacks to really pack a long-distance punch. Want to join me for practice?!" Jiro paused. Mic…practiced with his quirk, even with being a prohero, a radio DJ, and a teacher? Did he sleep? Did he eat? How was he alive? Mic beamed at her.

"Um, okay, but the gym isn't nearly enough to block out sound. Is there some kind of soundproof room or something?" Mic grinned mischievously, making Jiro suspicious.

"Who said anything about practicing with quirks? I'll show you!" Jiro followed the excited man to a side room that was filled with speakers and audio jacks. "It's less about the volume of your strikes, but the frequency. That's what canceled my scream out. See, most people's voices are between 85-255 Hz, which means-"

"I would have to match the frequency in an opposite tone to cancel it out!" Mic nodded excitedly. "So this is teaching me what frequencies to use and look for?"

"Yeah! As you probably know, I have a job as a radio DJ, which means I have to keep track of a lot of technical stuff like this." Jiro nodded: her dad and mom listened to Put Your Hands Up Radio almost religiously. Honestly, of all the teachers, Mic scared her the most with his boundless energy. At least All Might showed exhaustion, and Aizawa drank it like water. Not this man: you would never see him give out any sign of exhaustion at any time.

"How do you keep up with all the activity you do?"

"Tea and expresso!" Once again, it seemed accurate to Mic. "So, if you're up for it, I could give you some extra papers to learn more about it! If not, an hour with me in here should give you a basis!" Jiro nodded eagerly, and they set to work. Between his puns, lighthearted impressions of other teachers, and frequent need to wave his hands around sporadically, she was amazed she learned anything. Of course, that's exactly how his classes worked. You never knew you were actually learning until the tests came around and you knew the words. Then his phone went off with a quiet meow. Jiro paused, Mic evidently not hearing as he was fiddling with a speaker. His phone meowed again. "And this is-oh, my phone!" He answered it quickly, saying happily, "Hey, Sho! No, I'm just giving Jiro-kun some tips." She frowned: who was Sho, and why did he and Mic sound like they were close? "Yeah, I was going to suggest that-I know what I'm doing, Sho! You're the one who doesn't take care of himself. No, she doesn't know who's on the phone. Yeah, see you at home. Bye~" He sighed, smiling once again.

"…Are you dating someone named Sho?" Was her flamboyant teacher dating someone she didn't know about?

"No, I'm not dating anyone. Sho's my roommate, and he's terrified someone's going to find out he rooms with a loudmouth like me: he has a reputation." He winked, and stood up, stretching. Jiro did as well with a smile. "So, if you want, I can send the specs to Power Loader and he can make the adjustments to your costume for you."

"I'd really appreciate that. I didn't know you roomed with someone. Don't you make a ton of money?"

"Not a ton, but a fair amount. I just don't have access to a lot of it since most of it goes to replacing windows or my parents." His face suddenly fell, but it grew into a smile quickly. "But now I get to live with my best friend, so I'd say it evens out!" Jrio frowned: it was the first time Mic had mentioned his parents. At least Aizawa had made a few comments, particularly on Mother's Day. Mic said absolutely nothing about them, and the fact the first thing he mentions it giving his money to his parents was worrying. Jiro asked gently,

"Are they okay?" He waved her off.

"Oh, they're fine. Don't worry about it. Sometimes my mouth moves faster than my head can. Downside of having a vocal-based quirk! Anyways, if you need help honing your sound knowledge, you can come see me: I'd be more than happy to help." She frowned at his once again excitable nature. Oh, well. Maybe he just tries not to mix personal with professional, something Jiro still had to learn.

"Okay, I probably will need some more help. Thanks for the advice, Mic-sensei."

"My pleasure, Jiro-kun! Get back to the dorms safely, okay?" She gave him a thumbs up, and walked away, going over what she learned in her head. Oh, yeah, this would help a lot.


	9. Eri

Nightmares. She had them constantly, and it was worse when Aizawa was gone. It hurt. It always hurt. "Shh, it's okay. Um, deep breaths." She breathed heavily, tears rolling down her face, hugging herself as tightly as she could. It always hurt… "I-it's okay, sweetie, just breath. Can you breathe with me?" She nodded, barely able to see the man other than the neon blond hair. "Okay. In." She took a shuddering breath, launching into a coughing fit. Oh, no, she coughed on him, he would be mad- "It's o-okay, Eri." This wasn't him. It wasn't that man who hurt her. How did she keep forgetting? "It's okay, b-breath, that's I-it. In." She took another shaky breath, tears pouring out. "Good job. Out s-slowly." She followed his instructions, him breathing in and out with her. As her tears stopped flowing, she saw he was in tears as well, hands shaking and looking as scared as she was.

"Z-Zashi?" He wiped the tears away, smiling.

"Just keep breathing, sweetie. In and out, nice and slow." She nodded, hugging herself tightly as tears continued pouring down. "It'll be okay. It was just a nightmare. You're not in trouble."

"I-I c-coughed on y-you…"

"It's alright." She knew the man wanted to touch her. It's how he comforted people. But he couldn't touch her while she was panicking. Not without dying. It hurt her more and more, that knowledge. Why couldn't she control it? The tears began anew. "N-no, it's okay, Eri. It's alright…" He was lost: she knew he was. He kept telling her how to breath, and it was helping to calm her down. She was scared of the pain. She didn't want to get hurt anymore. And here was a man not scared of anything. She felt so small next to him. "Shh, it's okay. Just k-keep breathing. D-do you want s-some music?" She nodded, sniffling. He pulled an ukulele out, making a buzzing sound that sounded like purring along with the music (Electra, religion cut, by Airstream). Her tears slowly faded, and she stared at him with wide eyes as he continued to play it. He looked somewhat sad, but smiled at her gently as he continued to play and buzz his throat. She watched in curiosity as he continued buzzing. The door opened in the front room, and Eri looked behind him, frightened. "Who's there?" The man called casually, looking at Eri with a calm smile.

"It's me." Eri relaxed: that was a voice she knew well. Aizawa came in to find the loud man with a ukulele in his hands and buzzing, and Eri. He knelt by her. "Another nightmare?"

"Y-yeah, I tried to handle it…" The loud man rubbed his neck nervously, looking just as lost as before.

"You did good, Zashi." Eri didn't reach out for Aizawa, and he sat by her with a healthy distance between them so she didn't feel trapped. "Do you want to talk about it?" The metal, the pain, and the blood-she rapidly shook her head, feeling sick. "Okay. Do you want to do something?" Eri looked down, then looked back up.

"C-could I braid z-Zashi's hair?" Aizawa glanced at the man, who looked hesitant, but said confidently,

"Yeah, little listener!" She giggled. Something about how he so freely would shout or whisper…she liked the loud man. He took a seat with his back facing the couch, but he seemed nervous. Did she upset him? Her smile faltered.

"D-did I do something wrong?" Zashi turned to face her with a smile.

"Not at all, Eri. I just don't usually let people do this." She paused. Wait, does that mean she shouldn't? She started panicking again, causing the loud man to move his hands rapidly from his own panic, only making Eri panic more. Aizawa grabbed his hands and said firmly, covering the man's mouth with his spare hand,

"You can braid his hair, Eri. If someone says you can do something, you can. He was explaining why he seems a little nervous. It's perfectly fine." Eri calmed down at that explanation, and Aizawa said pointedly, "You can't panic when someone else is panicking, Zashi." The loud man looked offended, but only slightly.

"I can't help it, they just look worried, and then I get worried, which makes it worse! I don't mean to, Sho!"

"And that is why you're an emotional mess." The loud man made an exaggerated movement to put his hand over his heart, gasping loudly in fake horror. It made Eri chuckle.

"Like you're any better." Eri felt a smile cross her face. They were having fun: she was safe. She gently brushed Mic's hair back, trying to be gentle and not touch him more than needed as her dad and the loud man chatted casually. She was safe. The nightmare was forever ago, and she had two people here who cared for her. As she brushed his hair, she noticed how long it was. She giggled, wrapping herself into the sheet of neon yellow softness. "What are you doing back there, little listener?" Aizawa locked eyes with her and snorted. She giggled again.

"You have a nest now, and it has a little bird in it."

"What?!" Aizawa handed the loud man a mirror, and he held it up so he could see the small girl curled into his locks. He laughed. "Glad to know you like my hair, little listener."

"It's so soft and fluffy, like a cloud!" The loud man laughed again, though it sounded a little different. Aizawa scooped her out of the hair, carefully not getting any hair caught in his grasp.

"You said you wanted to braid his hair, not hide in it, Eri." He nuzzled her gently, making her giggle again, smiling widely. "So, are you going to braid it, or just keep playing?"

"Noo, I'll braid Uncle's hair!" Aizawa and the loud man looked at each other.

"You think Zashi's your uncle?" There was a bit of a confused tone, and Eri said cheerfully,

"He's your brother, and you're my dad!" The next second, she was being hugged in opposite directions: one that smelled like sweat and fabric softener, and one that smelled like honey and a lot of avocado.

"I'm an uncle!" He didn't sound upset: if anything, he sounded happy. Eri smiled: the nightmare was gone.


	10. Blue Jeanist

He winced, looking out the window. At least the others were safe. But with the loss of a lung, hero work would be much more troubling and problematic. Goodness, what was he to do about it? A knock sounded, and the door creaked open, revealing a neon blond with a ridiculous hairstyle. "Hey, Hakamata. Are you up for visitors?" He chuckled, wincing from the sudden pain. Of course, the vocal hero would visit him.

"Of course, Mr. Cockatiel. Have you still not changed that ridiculous style?" Mic chuckled, coming in quietly.

"It's vintage, man." Vintage…more accurately, he'd gotten comfortable in the leather and his fans had grown to like his odd, outrageous style that seemed better fit for a clown than a hero.

"You mean it's antiquated. What brings you here?" Mic smiled softly, setting a box on the bedtable.

"Well, I was going around visiting everyone who was up for it, and wanted to see how you were doing."

"I lost a lung, but I am still alive. The rest can be stitched up. Was Bakugo recovered from the villains?"

"Yeah, he was released a few hours ago. He asked if you were alright. Aizawa said you were alive, which was good enough." Jeanist laughed, wincing again. Mic handed him some water, and Jeanist took a sip, smiling gently.

"Classic Eraser. Thank you. I'm glad Bakugo is alright. As troubled as he is, he has a pure heart."

"Yeah, now if only he would just stop threatening people with death." Jeanist sighed heavily.

"Agreed. Was anyone else injured terribly?" Mic sighed heavily, looking tired. Jeanist wondered how long he'd been doing these visits for the night. He surely was a dedicated man.

"Well, All Might's retiring from hero work, so that's a thing." Ah, the hero's time had come at last. He couldn't remember a time All Might hadn't been known somewhere in the world. It was time enough for the man to retire and enjoy the rest of his time on earth. He had earned it time and time again.

"Indeed." Jeanist couldn't think about how that would affect the public for now: he had to focus on recovering from his injury: that took priority. "Others?" Mic chuckled, smiling again.

"Nothing they can't heal from. Recovery Girl's coming out soon enough. How are you holding up?"

"I attempted to restrain him myself, but…he was quite powerful. Is he restrained?" Mic grinned darkly.

"Max security, 24/7 surveillance through video and automated guns. He's not going to get out."

"I don't believe the world could survive him doing so." Mic's dark smile faded into his usual beam, his hand resting on Jeanist's arm.

"You shouldn't worry about that kind of stuff. Just worry about recovering."

"Of course, Mr. Cockatiel. You really should consider updating your wardrobe: your civilian clothes are fine, but this..." He gestured to the entirety of Mic's hero costume. "This is an atrocity." Mic pretended to be offended.

"Yeah, come on, man, respect the leather." Jeanist shook his head in amazement.

"You seem calm for someone in this kind of situation." Mic shrugged with a smile.

"I couldn't help with the mission, but I can provide support for people who got hurt."

"Why couldn't you assist? Most top heroes were there." Mic looked away, smile fading.

"My quirk would have hurt my allies more than the enemy, considering we were expecting Nomu." Oh, Jeanist had accidentally hit a nerve. Sometimes he forgot how Mic's quirk worked. "But I want to help in any way I can, so here I am, providing emotional support." The cockatiel truly had a big heart for even strangers.

"Then you are providing an honorable service, my friend." Mic shrugged, clearly wanting to do more but brushing passed it. Jeanist respected his resolve not to show his pain.

"So, your lung got punctured?" Jeanist smiled at the change in topic: Mic did not want to talk about him, after all.

"Straight through, yes. It as it was, I had surgery to have it removed. It was the most reasonable course of action."

"Sounds about right. You feeling any better?" Jeanist sat up slowly, taking the water again.

"Very much so, in fact. After so long, I suppose fate wove a mandatory rest into my fate." Mic laughed quietly. "I do plan on returning to hero work." Mic raised an eyebrow, looking concerned.

"You're going to take it easy long enough to get used to a lung, right? You'll get yourself hurt if you push too far."

"I'll have my sidekicks to assist me in not overdoing it, though your concern is appreciated."

"Okay, good. You sounded like Eraser for a second." Jeanist would have been offended if Mic hadn't been right. The fact was, he did consider going straight back into work, but he recognized that would be foolish.

"I am not self-destructive like that madman is." Mic laughed again, smiling warmly.

"That's true! Just remember to take it easy. Learning to cope with one lung is not going to be a walk in the park, and it may take a while for you to get used to the lack of oxygen." Jeanist smiled at the loud man.

"I recognize that. As I said, your concern is appreciated, but I know to take care of myself, or heroism will be extremely difficult to do." Mic smiled. The man was obviously exhausted, and Jeanist doubted his was the last visit of the day. "Yet that's all of our tendencies. Don't forget people can't be saved if you're not around anymore."

"Wasn't I supposed to say that to you, Hakamata?" Mic chuckled, standing up. "I can handle it. Get some sleep, okay?" Jeanist watched the man disappear, smiling to himself. The man truly did care deeply. It was nice. He picked up the box and opened it to see a long scarf. It was store-bought, likely from the hospital gift shop, but he was too glad to have extra threads to care. He always felt bare without his face covered. He slipped it on, silently thanking the man who could comfort even the stormiest soul.


	11. Oboro and Horror

"Aizawa." It had been the hand on his shoulder that clued him in that this was not the time. The meeting was…hard. All of the old wounds were forced open, the pain and tears forcing their way to the surface. When they exited, Aizawa would have been in tears if his eyes weren't dry, and Mic was unresponsive. Completely silent as they drove back to their house. It was unnerving, but Aizawa didn't have the energy to try and talk about it. When they pulled into the parking lot, Mic signed, face blank, "I'm going to bed." Aizawa replied just as blandly,

"Okay." He watched the man walk away, hands in his pockets, back slouched. Aizawa could barely move, but he forced his way out of his seat. They participated in the hospital raid, Aizawa still reeling. Mic was more than enraged. He was pissed. It was clear by the way his eyes were green constantly, the forced calm he had during class period, the fake energy that paled in comparison to his true nature. The slight disheveled nature of his hair. But Aizawa had no idea how to comfort him, so the week continued with Mic's rage boiling and Aizawa half-numb. Midnight said in the teacher's lounge the next Monday, looking concerned,

"Aizawa, is Mic okay?" He thought. Midnight could comfort Mic better than Aizawa could right now, but…

"…No." He stood up and walked away, not offering an explanation. He found Mic in the gym, far from anyone, still completely silent, punching the wall at full force. His knuckles were bloody, green eyes bloodshot. He hadn't been sleeping at all. "Mic." No response. "Yamada." Nothing, other than a harsher punch that actually made Mic sign a swear before returning to his punching. Aizawa grabbed his shoulder, forcing the neon blond to face him. "Hizashi." He blinked at Aizawa, face blank. "Please." It only took one word. That's all it had ever taken. Mic collapsed to the ground, tears pouring out in silence, as he slid against the wall. Aizawa draped himself over the sobbing man, silently giving him all that he could as comfort as Mic sobbed. "I'm sorry. D*** it, Mic, I'm so sorry."

"H-he's not e-even d-dead, S-sho…He didn't e-even g-get that…" Aizawa hugged his best friend tighter.

"I know." Aizawa picked Mic up, walking to their home. Aizawa set him on his own bed, rubbing Mic's back gently.

"You're going to sleep here, and I'll sleep beside you in my sleeping bag, okay?" Mic nodded silently, and Aizawa stood to fish some pajamas out and Mic's rope. Ever since they'd moved in together, Mic gagged himself so that if he had a nightmare, he wouldn't deafen Aizawa. It may have started before then, but that's when Aizawa had found out, almost 11 years ago now. He returned, handing the rope to Mic and covering him in a thin blanket. "If you get cold, wake me up, okay?" Mic heaved silently, tears flowing down relentlessly as he nodded. Aizawa rubbed his back gently. He sniffled, hugging Aizawa tightly for a brief moment, then letting go. He watched Mic curl into a ball, signing with shaking hands as tears continued to pour down,

"I'm sorry I couldn't be strong this time." Aizawa rubbed his back with a sad, small smile.

"Don't be stupid. Just let me be strong for you now." It didn't take long for Mic for fall asleep, the tight ball uncurling ever so slightly until he was in the fetal position, back facing him as his face was almost buried into the wall. Aizawa looked at him with worry, then went to grab a brush as he filled a bucket with water and shampoo. He quietly said, "You'll be upset if you don't get that gunk out of your hair, so I'm going to do it for you." Aizawa rinsed out the awful hair gel. It looked as if Mic hadn't bothered to do this since they had found out. He then gently brushed through it, humming quietly as sobs, muffled by the gag, filled the air. Aizawa said softly,

"It's okay, Zashi. Deep breaths." Aizawa felt his own tears start welling. How evil was this world? Mic had been through so much, and now they find that…that Oboro didn't even get a death? Even worse, they would have to return for more information, to protect Oboro's family. He was heartbroken, tired, and furious. But his friend was more important. He continued brushing Mic's hair, teardrops silently hitting the curtain of blond hair that practically glowed in the darkness. Mic started groaning, shifting slightly as Aizawa finished brushing and put it up so it wouldn't get as badly tangled in the morning. Aizawa climbed into bed, slipping into his sleeping bag and pressing against Mic. "It's okay, Zashi. You're safe. I'm safe. Everything will be here in the morning." He stared at the ceiling, humming a quiet song. It seemed to be calming Mic down, so he continued, even as he felt his pillow was soaked by tears and snot. He was glad Eri was spending the night with Mirio. He didn't think he could handle Eri's concern on top of his own. He heard scratching beside him, and he flipped Mic over, one arm out of his sleeping bag and grasping his hand. D*** that tick, the tick that caused him to scratch at the back of his neck until it bled. Mic had never been able to tell Aizawa where he'd gotten it from, and Aizawa supposed it didn't matter. Mic settled slightly, using his hands to sign instead. Simple words, really.

"Save. Protect. Comfort." The words Mic and Aizawa had used as a pledge. Aizawa smiled, wiping his tears away. He resolved not to let Mic visit Oboro without him ever. Even if they were asked to do so separately, he would refuse. Mic would never be trapped in that situation, where he couldn't show weakness to a friend called Oboro, or an enemy named Kurogiri. It wasn't much in the way of comfort, but it helped Aizawa through Mic's horror.


	12. Under the Weather

Mic was missing class. That's how Midnight first noticed his absence, when Cementtoss came out of his classroom with a quiet smile and Mic's planner. That was unusual. "Hey. Where's Mic?" Cement frowned, looking uncertain.

"I'm not sure: I just was standing in for him until he arrives. Maybe he got caught up on something in his office?"

"Right. Thank you." He smiled at her before walking away. Midnight took off towards the loud neon blond's office. She knew Mic could handle himself, as proven time and time again, but she got a sinking feeling as she entered his nearly barren office. "Mic? You in here?" The office was empty. She frowned, and walked towards the library. He wasn't there, either. She went to the gym, and then to Nezu's office last, to find Mic with his knees in his chest on Nezu's couch as Nezu calmly talked to him, tea in both of their hands. Mic didn't notice her enter: Nezu did.

"Yes, it does seem the students are improving greatly. Ah, Midnight." It was a quiet introduction, but Mic still jumped, looking up at her with wide eyes that calmed down once he recognized her. He was stressed over something, and it showed clearly over his face and tensed body. He hadn't looked this nervous in weeks.

"Hello, Principal Nezu. I was just looking for Mic. I couldn't find him in his usual spots, so…" Mic smiled, but it seemed strained and forced, unnatural for the sunny man. Nezu said with a light grin that seemed very strained,

"Mr. Yamada was feeling under the weather, so I invited him to my office." Under the weather: it was code in this school. It meant Mic had a panic attack. Midnight had her own 'Code Red' for overstimulation, Aizawa had his 'overworked' for sleep deprivation, and so on. Every teacher had a code for when they got in too deep with something. It was said in code so students wouldn't worry about them, though the more observant 3rd years had almost figured out every teacher's code by the end of the year. Midnight took a seat next to Mic, sighing heavily.

"So, what's this about the students improving? I smell rumors, and I need my fix." Nezu took the hint: she was going to be the sounding board so Mic could just listen to them talk about things, so he could calm down.

"I was informing Mic that it has been a total of 4 days since young Bakugo threatened to kill someone, and young Koda has begun speaking up more in class. As well as young Monoma improving in his strategies."

"Yes, I did notice Monoma also has almost stopped egging 2-A on. Almost: there was that one incident a few weeks ago where he and Kaminari got in an argument…" Mic looked worried, and Midnight continued in a hurry, "Luckily, that was solved peacefully." Mic smiled gently, still hugging his knees into his chest tightly. Midnight and Nezu continued talking calmly: about students, faculty, and teas when they ran out of non-confrontational details about the earlier topics: talking about some fights that broke out or arguments were not going to calm Mic down at all. His heart was just too big to take that kind of talk lightly. It was slow progress, but his grip loosened on his legs, and he inched into a more normal sitting position as they talked calmly about nothing of importance, pushing his sunglasses up. He rubbed his neck, saying quietly,

"Thanks, guys. I know I'm a pain." Midnight chuckled. He was almost a different person when he was like this.

"You're just expressive, Yamada. There's nothing wrong with having anxiety." He shrugged, signing as he talked.

"It's still frustrating." Midnight patted his leather-bound shoulder. He really didn't like people seeing him like this. Her smile faded as she asked, hoping she wouldn't cause Mic to go into a spiral with her honest question,

"What triggered it?" He looked away, eyes distinctly red. So it was something to do with his quirk?

"Mom called." Oh. That explained a lot. Nezu sighed, pouring another cup of tea for Mic. "Wanted to talk at me about pro hero work, radio station…well, you know." Midnight hugged him loosely.

"I know, Yamada." He scoffed, pushing up his glasses as one arm hugged her back.

"It's not like I don't love her, I just…yeah. Did I miss a class?" He looked worried, and Midnight said comfortingly,

"It's alright. Cementtoss stepped in, and they watched an English movie. Um, the Love Bug, I think?"

"Oh, okay. That's what I was planning on doing today, anyways." Midnight chuckled.

"It helps that you're so organized: we could find your planner pretty easily." Mic smiled, and it was a softer version of his typical loud beaming grin. "Just take a breath, okay? You're not alone."

"Yeah, I know. Still sorry about this." She laughed, making Mic smile. He was an anxious mess once he panicked.

"If you can deal with me becoming a pool of emotions for a whole 24 hours, I can handle this little chat. It's okay."

"Yeah, I guess. Thanks for letting me crash your office, Principal Nezu." Nezu smiled warmly, the strain and tension that was visible earlier having melted away at Mic's recovery.

"Of course! You may have graduated, but you are still students in my eyes, and I am more than willing to help in a time of need. Have a cup of tea to go, and please be careful about overstimulating yourself. If need be, you have reason to go home." Mic laughed, waving Nezu off. His boundless energy had instantly resurfaced.

"I'm good! Just needed to calm down. Thanks for your guys' help, listeners!" He raced off, and Midnight looked at Nezu, who looked back at her with a quiet smile. There was no way he was alright.

"Sic Aizawa on him?" Nezu smiled with a flicker of malicious intent.

"Indeed." Midnight was already dialing Aizawa' number with a grin.


	13. USJ

Mic was grading calmly, red pen occasionally tapping against his desk in thought. Some student's handwriting was nearly illegible from spelling errors, poor grammar, and penmanship, like Kaminari and Sero, as well as a few other students with temper problems, like Bakugo, were in a furious scrawl, if in fairly good English. He wondered if hearing the language would help them, or should he focus on actually showing them how to have neat handwriting first? Decisions, decisions…That's when the alert had gone up: USJ had been attacked. Mic was scared, angry, and worried, driving himself and several others there in his car as a tense silence filtered through the air. Aizawa had said it would be fine. He insisted he, Number 13, and All Might could handle it. Only All Might had run out of time for the day, so hadn't been able to attend. Mic had offered to join: he refused with the statement: "13 and I can handle this. Focus on your grading." When he arrived, he saw Aizawa first. His best friend bleeding, eyes unable to be opened, supported by a student Mic hadn't gotten to speak to personally yet, completely unconscious. He had purple splotches pooling into his exposed arms: something had started to turn his elbow into mush. And it was their fault: they would pay for targeting his students and his friend. Mic barely registered what he was doing: he screamed at the enemies as loudly as he could without hurting his allies. They either retreated or were apprehended: he didn't care which. He sat in the ambulance with Aizawa, face in his hands. He'd almost lost another friend, and it was his fault. He should have insisted. He should have been pushy. He sat in the waiting room during the examination, silently watching during the surgery. He hated hospitals. He was always scared of the thought that someone was shuffling around inside his body. It made him squirm, the very concept of it. But he stayed there, hoping his best friend would be okay. The doctor came out, and Mic stood, worry written on his face.

"Are you Mr. Aizawa's family?" Mic shook his head: as much like brothers as they were, he couldn't claim that.

"No, I'm his roommate. Is he okay? Did it work?" The doctor looked over the paperwork as Mic tried his best to remain calm and controlled while his best friend may be dying or be lonely. He didn't like either idea.

"He had a few broken bones and his face was very damaged, particularly below his eyes." Mic nodded, wanting to get to the good news. "However, he'll make a complete recovery with nearly full sight. It will be a fair amount of time before he will be completely healed from this, however. No hero work for quite some time, if he can keep from it, and plenty of rest and relaxation. Can you make sure he does this?" Mic nodded firmly. "He'll also need help changing bandages once he's released, but for now, you can see him." Mic followed him to the room, where Aizawa was covered in bandages but seemed to smile at the sight of a nervous Mic. "Please that it easy, both of you. I'll prepare the paperwork for your discharge." Aizawa thanked him, and as soon as the doctor left, Mic wrapped Aizawa into a gentle but firm hug. Aizawa returned it, though his was stiff due to the broken arms.

"I thought I lost you, Sho." Aizawa laughed weakly, obviously trying to make light of it,

"It will take more than that to kill me." Mic locked eyes with him firmly, heart breaking at the sight of the damage.

"Don't joke! You could have died, or gone blind! It's not something to take lightly!" Aizawa slumped.

"I'm not. I know it was a close call, very close. I don't want you to worry, that's all. I'm sure you panicked enough while I was unconscious. Did anyone else get injured?" Mic shook his head.

"Other than Number 13, Midoryia-kun, and a few bumps and bruises, no. You had the brunt of it."

"Then I did my job." Mic growled, covering his face, not wanting to cry in front of Sho again, not now.

"You almost DIED, Sho. No job is worth that much loss. You know that."

"…I know." The harsh tone softened. "Zashi, I'm not throwing my life away. It was a dangerous situation, and I did my best to be careful." Mic rubbed his eyes dry. His friend was right: Aizawa never did anything foolishly, even if it seemed like it. He was overreacting again, blowing things out of proportion. "Hey, it's alright. You have every right to be concerned. Don't shut down. That's my thing." Mic chuckled quietly, looking down still.

"Yeah, I know. This…I couldn't help at all." Aizawa sighed, patting Mic's pant as gently as he could with a cast.

"You did. Even I heard that scream: you took out over half of them. I guess you were just too emotional to notice."

"I did? Huh. I still think I could have helped more." Aizawa sighed again.

"You're going to DJ the Sports Festival again this year, right?" Mic nodded,

"Yeah, I've done it every year since I was 17. You know that."

"Why don't I join you?" Mic blinked at him in complete confusion. "I'll never admit to asking."

"I know. You have your grumpy persona to hold to. But you hate public appearances."

"Yes, but I know that I'm not going to be the one having issues from the attack: you are. And if that will help." Mic grinned, hugging him tightly in a back-breaking embrace. Aizawa winced, saying as loudly as he could, "Ow, Zashi!" He let go, turning red as he signed and called his apologies, making Aizawa smile beneath the bandages again,

"S-sorry, got overexcited!" Aizawa shook his head in quiet amusement.

"It's fine. Let's just get the stupid paperwork done so we can go home and I can go in my sleeping bag for a month."


End file.
